Submarine craft



ug 7 H. N. ATWOOD SUBMARINE CRAFT Filed Aug. 25. 1

2 Sheets-Sheet l June for H jltwood Z QYAA7' GU50: H2415 1927' H. N. ATWOOD UBMARINE CRAFT Filed Aug. 23. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,638,817 PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY N. ATWOOD, 0F MONSON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO RUBWOOD, INC., OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

SUBMARINE CRAFT.

Application filed August 23, 1923. Serial No; 658,949.

This invention relates to an improvement in the construction of submarine and similar craft. It is a well known fact that the hull of a submarine is subjected to great surface pressure when the submarine is submerged,

and provision must be made for withstand-- ing this pressure to avoid collapse. It therefore follows that even under what may be considered as normal conditions, a submarine hull must be capable of withstanding enormous pressure. However, there are abnormal conditions which must be taken such a hull of heavy metal plates riveted together over a metallic frame structure which embodies rigid, non-stretchable, and nonyieldable elements. Furthermore, where the hull of a submarine is rigidly constructed, it will be adapted to withstand a certain maximum amount of pressure, and when a critical degree of pressure is reached and passed, the hull will collapse instantly and without warning. Considering all of the foregoing facts, it is reasonable to assume that the principles heretofore followed in the construction of the hulls of submarine and similar craft are entirely erroneous. It follows therefore that a more desirable structure would be one in which the walls of the hull might yield to a greater or less extent under conditions of pressure such as are met with under normal condi' tions, that is to say when the submarine is submerged and not engaged in warfare, and which will likewise yield when concussive forces are imposed upon the said walls under abnormal conditions as for example where a depth bomb is exploded in the vicinity of the submerged craft. Therefore it is one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a novel hull structure for submarine or similar craft possessing the desirable qualities just mentioned. With this end in view the invention contemplates With these conditions in mind, it,

constructing the hull of such a craft of plies of a body material which will possess a desirable degree of resiliency, be light in weight, and at the same time be tenacious.

Another object ofthe invention is to so construct the hull of the craft that under extreme conditions of pressure, where the critical point is approached, the yielding of the walls of the hull will be perceptible to those in charge of the craft thus warning them of the impending danger and affording them opportunity to steer the craft to a zone or locality, where the pressure will be of less degree.

Another disadvantage which has been found to exist in submarine craft of standard design is that the metal hull is an excellent conductor of heat. When the hatches of the craft are closed prior to submersion, the air trapped within the hull is that which has entered the hull at the surface of the body of water and this air is practically saturated with moisture. As the craft submerges, the walls of the hull are subjected to a much lower degree of temperature with the result that the moisture content of the air within the craft is condensed on all surfaces, thus causing considerable annoyance. The invention therefore has as another important object to so construct the hull that it will be an extremely poor conductor of heat and in fact substantially heat insulating so that this condensation of moisture will not take place.

Another disadvantage which is present in submarine craft of standard design is that the metallic walls of the hull act much in the manner of a sounding board so that disturbances created by the wash of the waves at the surface, are transmitted to the walls when the craft is submerged and because of the resonant nature of the walls, are greatly amplified. Furthermore, when the motors necessary to the operation of the craft are in operation while the craft is submerged, the sound given off therefrom is reverbrated from the walls of the hull and be comes exceedingly annoying if not almost unbearable. Hence it is a further important object of the present invention to provide a wall construction for the hull of a submarine craft which will be of a non-resonant character and therefore incapable of transmitting sound waves or vibrations or of amplifying the same.

Where the hull of a submarine is con structed of metal plates riveted together or united by means of some other character, any excessive concussive forces exerted against the walls of the hull are liable to spring the joints and open the seams and permit leakage of water into the craft. The

T present invention therefore has as a further object to so construct the walls of the hull that it will be substantially devoid of seams or joints which would be liable to open under excessive stresses or strains.

Another object of the invention is-to provide a submarine hull which will be entirely water-proof as well as capable of resisting the action of the salines which are contained in the water, so that the inconveniences ordinarily experienced from this source are en- 3 through the hullillustrating the construction.

As the form or contourand general details of structure of the hull may vary in different types of craft, and as such details I do not in any way enter into the present invention. the submarine hull which is illustrated in the drawings and which is indicated in general by the numeral 1, is to be considered merely as representative of one form of hull which-may be constructed in accordance with the invention, Generally speaking, the walls of the hull are made up of a number of body plies and a number of bonding plies. The body plies are indicated in the drawings by the numeral 2 and these plies are of veneer or similar wood or iibrous material. -The bonding plies. which are indicated by the numeral 3, are of rubber. rubberized'fa-bric, or they may be of rubber having metallic mesh material embedded therein. Tn any event the bonding plies will have a rubber content. The walls of the hull are built up in accordance with the method Set forth in my co-pending application. filed August 23, 1923. Serial No. 658,950, and in carrying out this method, the plies of body material and the bonding plies are alternately arranged in facial contact. facing plies 4 of rubber or rubber composition material are applied to the outer faces of the outermost body plies, and the entire assemblage is subjected to a process of vulcanization whereb the bodvpli-es will become intimately bonded together .by thcf intervening bonding plies, and the faci king the said process, to eventually provide plies will become bonded to the outer suQ esser? faces of the outermost body plies. Tn accordance with the contour which is to be given the hull of the craft. the various component assemblages of plies may be subjected to the vulcanizing process in suitably shaped molds, or the various plies may be previously molded to shape by the exertion of pressure thereon.

The invention contemplates that there shall be no definite scams or joints in the structure of the walls of the craft, and with this end in view the various sheets of ve-, neer and rubberized fabric or other rubber material which constitute respectively the body and bonding plies, may be so arranged in overlapped relation that a projecting marginal portion of any of the body pl es will be overlapped or interleaved with similarly projecting marginal portions of bonding plies. By reason of this construction there is at no point in the wall of the hull, any well defined line of division, or any well defined sea-ms, which would require to be closed by some extraneous mechanical means. Instead, by reason of the interleaving of the body and bonding plies, the structure, after the process of vulcanization has been completed. is substantially integral and homogeneous throughout. That is to say, where the edges of the body plies meet one another. the line of juncture is spanned by unbroken portions of bonding plies. so that it is as if the entire hull comprised hull or shell sections of body material arranged one within another and intervening bondin shells or sections of rubber bonding material uniting the same. i Y The facing plies 4: are, so far as 'is practicable, in the form of continuous sheets of rubber or rubber compos tion material and they are, as stated. applied to the outer faces of the outermost body plies of-.- veneer, thereby completely covering all portions of the surface of the said veneer plies as well asthe lines of juncture of the margins of adjacent one of said plies. Where it becomes neces ary to employ a number of sheets to cover the wall surface to be protected, the sheets. where their margins M c meet. may be vulcanizedQtogether during the process of vulcanization heretofore re= ferred' to. so that in the completed structure.

the facing plies will be integral throughout, v

or in other words entirely devoid of seams. If it is not desirable to employ sheets of cured rubber in producing the facing plies and eventually secure these sheets in the process of vulcanization. uncured or crude rubber may be applied to the outer faces of the outermost veneer body plies in any appropriate manner and until the entire outer and inner surfaces of the hull are, covered, this coating being vulcanized dura facing ply or sheet.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be seen that there is provided a hull structure for submarine and similar craft which will possess a desirable degree of resiliency, yieldability, and flexibility, and which will at the same time be exceedinglv tenacious, proof against disintegration. substantial and capable of resisting shocks and blows, non-resonant, nonheat conducting, and moisture proof. Possessing these desirable qualities the material of which the walls of the hull are formed, presents an ideal medium for-employment in this connection.

It will also be evident from the foregoing description that any compressive or concussive forces imposed upon the hull will be yieldably resisted, and that due to the absence of seams and joints, there will be no liability of tearing asunder of the hull as is liable to happen where joints are provided between metallic plates in the old structures. It will also be observed that the exertion of any critical pressure will produce a perceptible inward bulging of the walls of: the hull thus giving ample warning to those who are attending the operation of the craft, that a danger point has been reached, and thereby affording then opportunity to steer the craft to a zone where the pressure will be materially reduced. .However, this inward bulging of thewalls will produce no serious effects due to the peculiar qualities possessed by the material of which the walls are formed.

It will be noted that the outer facing ply, or in other words the ply which covers the entire exterior of the hull, is of considerable thickness so that it constitutes a cushioning means. to absorball shocks of impact and likewise absorb the concussive forces such as are produced when a depth bomb is exploded in the vicinity of the submerged craft.

As previously stated, the material of which the walls of the hull are formed is a non-conductor of heat, and as a consequence, the moisture content of any air trapped in the craft at the surface of the body of water when the hatches are closed immediately prior to submergenoe of the craft, will not be condensed, and the temperature within the craft will not be appreciably lowered.

Having thus described the invention. what is claimed as new is:

1. A marine craft hull having its walls integrally formed and comprising body plies of a material possessing a limited degree of flexibility, yieldability, and resiliency, plies of vulcanized material bonding the first mentioned plies together, and a facing of vulcanized material covering the exterior surface of the hull and constituting a cushioning medium.

2. A marine craft hull having its walls integrally formed and comprising body plies of a material possessing a limited degree of flexibility, yieldability, and resiliency, plies of vulcanized rubber material bonding the first mentioned plies together, and a facing of vulcanized rubber material covering the exterior surface of the hull and of greater thickness than the bonding plies whereby to constitute a cushioning medium.

3. A marine craft hull having its walls integrally formed and comprising body plies of veneer, bonding plies of vulcanized rubber uniting the first mentioned plies, and a facing of vulcanized rubber material covering the exterior surface of the hull and of greater thickness than the bonding plies whereby to constitute a cushioning medium.

4. A marine craft hull having its walls integrally formed and comprising body plies of a material possessing a limited degree of flexibility, ylieldability, and resiliency. and plies of rubberized fabric interposed between and bonding together the first mentioned plies.

5. A marine craft hull having its walls integrally formed and comprising body plies I outermost body ply, and a lining of rubber material upon the outer face of the innermost body ply.

7. A marine craft hull comprising a laminated shell having alternate layers of thin wood and rubber plies, the wooden plies consisting of sections shaped to conform to the contour of their respective portions of the shell and having edge to edge contact with companion sections, the meeting edges of the sectionsof one wooden ply being offset With respect to the meeting edges of the sections of adjacent wooden plies, and said rubber plies being vulcanized to effect union thereof with the wooden plies.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HARRY N. ATWOOD. [us] 

